Maimonides ECMO Program has been presented the Gold Level Excellence in Life Support Award

Please call (718) 283-8652 to speak with an ECMO Coordinator.

Maimonides Medical Center is pleased to announce that our ECMO Program has been presented the Gold Level Excellence in Life Support Award. The Maimonides Heart & Vascular Institute provides ECMO for support of failing organ systems in infants, children and adults.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-sustaining therapy that involves the use of a heart-lung machine to mimic the natural function of the heart and lungs. This innovative procedure gives patients temporary respiratory and cardiac support as they undergo treatment to the affected organ, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

ECMO involves the use of a membrane oxygenator, a machine that circulates blood outside of the body and channels it into a pump, serving as the “heart” throughout treatment. The pump sends blood through an oxygenator, which serves as an artificial lung. The artificial lung oxygenates the blood and removes carbon dioxide, and then returns the blood throughout the body as a healthy lung would.

There are two types of ECMO therapy – venovenous (VV) and venoarterial (VA). Venovenous ECMO is performed when the heart is functioning well, and only the lungs need support. Venoarterial ECMO provides support to both the heart and the lungs.

Note to physicians about ECMO

When speaking to the ECMO Physician, please have the following information ready:

• Age/sex of patient

• History of present illness and clinical course

• Medical/surgical history

• Current vital signs and hemodynamics

• Current status of vasopressors and/or inotropes

• Current ventilator settings and date of intubation

• Most recent blood gas

• Sites of all central lines, arterial lines

• Results of recent diagnostic tests (chest x-rays, CT scans, etc.)

The ECMO Physician will then work with you to determine the most appropriate next steps and whether ECMO support is indicated. If so, the Maimonides ECMO Team will travel to the referring facility to evaluate the patient in person, and initiate ECMO on-site before transferring him/her back to Maimonides for definitive management.